Ecrobia ventrosa


Ecrobia ventrosa, common name : the spire snail, is a European species of small brackish water snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Hydrobiidae.

Distribution

This species occurs on the coasts of:
The distribution type is coastal Mediterranean-Atlantic

Description

For terms see gastropod shell
The 3-4 x 1.5-2 mm. shell has 5-7 convex whorls which are slightly more convex than those of Hydrobia acuta neglecta. Smaller shells with 5 whorls are slightly less slender than those of Hydrobia neglecta. The suture is deep. The aperture is rounded upside and attached to the last whorl. The lip is weakly developed.The shell is very finely striated and in colour translucent, glossy yellow-brown, usually hidden by a matt deposit.
Certain identification requires dissecton. The penis has a pointed tip, not a blunt tip as in Hydrobia acuta neglecta.